CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

Shot these with no idea what I'm doing. Comments more than welcome.
Craig

Artistic Tweaking

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Wasp

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House Fly

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Morning Dew

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Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Are you using a zoom lens or more than one lens? These focal lengths do not correspond to dedicated macro lenses. What speedlight used?
Exif image #1:
Camera Model: NIKON D600
Image Date: 2014-07-27
Focal Length: 35mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 0.0063 s (1/160)
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Spot
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: Yes

Exif image #3:
Camera Model: NIKON D600
Image Date: 2014-09-10
Focal Length: 250mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 0.0050 s (1/200)
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

Sorry I did not use dedicated Prime Macro Lenses they are with Nikon 28-300mm zoom lens.
Image #1 I used a Nikon SB-700 speedlight; Images #2-3-4 No flash natural light.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

You will find annoying limitations using a zoom lens for attempted close-up or macro-photographs. Read more here:
FAQ: Macro Lens vs Standard Prime & Zoom Lenses
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-26499-1.html

FAQ: What is a MACRO lens?
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-26505-1.html

FAQ: Macro-Photography Primer (DPReview.com)
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-26510-1.html

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

And what about my Nikon 28-85mm f/2.8 Macro, Nikon 35-70 f/3.3 Macro Lenses how would they rate?
Thank you for being so helpful.
Craig

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Nikon 28-85mm f/2.8 Macro: "The ring has a MACRO button and when you depress, it permits the lens to reach an extended MACRO setting. Unfortunately, the mode was set to be at 28mm which means one would need to focus very close in order to reach its maximum reproduction ratio- in this case, 1:3.4 magnification is achieved at its closest focus distance of 0.23m (approx. 9.1-inches)." per http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/AFNikkor/AF2885mm/index.htm
Nikon 35-70 f/3.3: "The lens has an orange MACRO stripe indicator engraved which indicates its close focusing range at closest distance at 1.1 ft. (0.35m) and provide a reproduction ratio of 1:4.3 magnification (1:6.7 at non-Macro setting). Although it was close to the feat in its technical data similar to those fixed aperture Nikkor counterparts can offer but the macro-focus only works at 35mm settings . . . per http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/zoomsMF/3570mm1.htm

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

There have only been a limited few true macro zooms, all of which are discontinued... One was the AF Micro Nikkor 70-180 F4.5-5.6 ED. Vivitar made a manual focus 90-180mm F4.5 macro & IIRC I think Voightlander made a macro zoom as well.... These were all true flat field macro lenses, unlike modern zooms that have a "macro" designation, but not being flat field lenses. They all only went to 1/2 life size IIRC though... They were also rather unwieldy. Better to stick with fixed focal length macro lenses. The 90-105mm range being the most versatile.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

For not knowing what you are doing you are doing pretty well. As the others have suggested you would do better with a dedicated macro lens such as the Nikon 105D or 105G, which are an excellent lenses and are used by many macro shooters. Of course there are other choices as well that are well liked and do an excellent job.

My pictures which were judged from bad to so-so when I started have gotten better since I looked at the information that Nikonian72 (Douglass) suggests regarding lenses and a diffuser attached to your flash. It really does make a positive difference. Keep shooting and practice, practice, practice.

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

Thank you to everyone Douglass, Dennis, Albuqshutterbug & Scott for all your help.
What I do have right now is a Nikon Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 D AF Micro Lens. I just got it last week and have not had the time to put it thru it's paces. Would this be a Lens that would qualify to some degree??? Craig

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

While I have never used the Nikon 60mm Micro lens my understanding is it is a great lens for macro. The difference between it and the 105 f2.8 is that you have to get closer to the target to get the 1:1 ratio that we all want. So if you have an insect that is jittery and ready to fly when you are close enough with the 105 lens (about 6 inches) you have a much smaller distance with the 60mm lens. I would guess they are equal regarding quality. My understanding is that people buy the 60mm lens for photographing coins, stamps etc., something that is not likely to jump, fly or slither away.

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

That makes good sense to me. Here are a couple still lifes I just took with the Nikon Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 D AF Micro Lens.
8" to focus point, ISO 800, 1/60 sec at f/5, with SB-700 Speedlight & diffuser
Images 1 & 2 full shot; images 3 & 4 crop to 1:1

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orionmystery Loc: Malaysia

Good start. Esp like #5.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

1.) The primary characteristic of a true macro lens is that it CAN capture 1:1 magnification (life-size) WITHOUT any assistance from other optics or post process cropping. If you need to crop to obtain 1:1, then you are not working close enough to subject.
2.) What do you mean by "8-inches to focus point?" The distance from sensor to subject is known as Focusing Distance; the distance from lens front element to subject is known as Working Distance.
3.) Macro-photographers are most interested in Minimum Working Distance, which will capture 1:1 magnification. Your 60-mm macro lens has an MWD of 90-mm = 3.5-inches.

CraigFair Loc: Santa Maria, CA.

orionmystery Thank you for the compliment. It was shot with a 28-85mm so I don't know if it really counts as True Macro-Photography Forum.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

As I understand it, if the subject is not at the minimum focusing distance to give a 1:1 ratio then it may be a great photograph but it is not an official macro photograph. I had some problems with this when I started taking macro photographs and submitted them to the forum. The pictures may have been wonderful (OK so they weren't) but were taken at maybe a distance of 8-9 inches so weren't really macro photographs. They were close up photographs.

What a lot of us, most really I believe, is to set the focus on manual and put it at the minimum focal distance. Then move in closer and closer to your subject until it is in focus. Compose and shoot. It sounds easier than it really is but does get easier with practice. I was told often to practice, practice and then practice some more. I hated it at the time but found that it really works. Now when I try to keep the lens on auto focus and move in on a subject I may think I have it close enough for a macro shot but quickly realize after the shot, and looking at the focal point on the lens barrel, it was nowhere close enough for the photo to be anything more than a close up.

Good luck with your macro photography. I found it frustrating at first but after using the suggestions offered by many wonderful people on the Hog I started getting some pretty good photographs that I was proud of. Remember we all went through the same frustrations and learning curve you are going through. Feel free to ask questions as to what equipment others are using such as diffusers, ring lights, lenses etc. Whatever camera you are using is fine provided you have a lens that can focus 1:1.